Untappd Check-Ins

If you’re reading this post, I imagine you use Untappd. If not, go download it immediately. It will change your craft beer drinking experience.

For those that use the app, have you noticed how breweries can “toast” or “comment” on your beer check-ins? It’s happened to me a couple times after I gave the beer a nice rating and had something good to say about it. Per Untappd, “In an effort to allow users and breweries to connect on a higher level – we have allowed breweries to reach out to users, via our comment and toasting system, who check-in to their beers.” Untappd does allow users to opt out of this feature.

While I’m all for it, this new avenue of brewery/consumer interaction should be monitored closely. I’ve seen quite a few breweries bash a beer drinker’s opinion on social media. Brewers or marketers that are manning the Untappd app shouldn’t take the ratings personally (although I can see why many do). While it may sting, remember, everyone views a beer differently. Not everyone is certified beer judge either. To each his own. That’s what makes the app fun and helps define what craft beer means to us. It’s about trying new styles, new flavors and enjoying the thousands of breweries around this country with fellow craft beer aficionados.

The same goes for consumers as well. Don’t bash a beer because you don’t like the style. I’ve given some low ratings myself, but only because I thought the beer wasn’t up to “my” standards. Brewers everywhere put a lot of time and effort to create something for all of us to enjoy. If you don’t like the beer, be thoughtful in your response and tell everyone why in the comment section. Who knows? Maybe that feedback will be put to good use.

I’ve only had a few interactions and they’ve all been toasts from larger, more established breweries. Has anyone had a brewery comment on a check-in? Have you seen anything negative?